Issue 23, 2007

Statistics of single molecule SERS signals: is there a Poisson distribution of intensities?

Abstract

This paper is aimed at clarifying the statistics of single molecule (SM) surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals. The argument of the possible existence of a Poisson distribution in the statistics of intensities in SM-SERS has been used many times in the last decade as a proof of single molecule detection. We show theoretically and experimentally that the conditions under which a Poisson distribution would be present are so unlikely to exist in a real system that there is no other option but to attribute the claims to poor statistical sampling. We believe the argument based on Poisson statistics should be dropped as a proof of single molecule detection in SERS.

Graphical abstract: Statistics of single molecule SERS signals: is there a Poisson distribution of intensities?

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Mar 2007
Accepted
11 Apr 2007
First published
04 May 2007

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2007,9, 3006-3010

Statistics of single molecule SERS signals: is there a Poisson distribution of intensities?

P. G. Etchegoin, M. Meyer and E. C. Le Ru, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2007, 9, 3006 DOI: 10.1039/B704013J

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